「人の世を脱（のが）れて人の世を知り、骨肉と離れて愛を信じ、明を失っては内にひらく青山白雲をも見た。

癩はまた天啓でもあった」

この島の住人であった歌人・明石海人はこう言う。

社会の中で翻弄され、想像を絶する人生を歩んでこられた人たちが暮らすこの島。

人間とは、いったい何者なのであろうか。

"I learned about the world by being isolated from the world, I believed in love by being free from flesh and bones, I saw magnificent views of the world within myself by losing my eyesight.  Leprosy was alsoa gift from heaven."
Says poet Kaijin Akashi, who was a resident on this island.
People on this island were being tossed around in society and how hard their lives must have been is far beyond our imagination.  I can't help but wonder what kind of creatures human beings really are.